-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Getting hired or promoted in today 's competitive environment is no easy feat . But , then again , neither was our pitch for MasterCard .

The rules of the game were made clear : whichever advertising campaign had the best consumer test score would be declared the winner and awarded the MasterCard account . Yet , despite the fact that our now famous `` Priceless '' campaign did not fare well in testing , we won the business , and the rest is history . Fifteen years later , `` Priceless '' remains one of the most recognizable ad campaigns in recent history .

So why did we win the business , defying set rules and what early testing said would be a failure ? According to MasterCard 's CMO Larry Flanagan , it was because of our `` core '' -- we were a fighting and a cohesive team of competitors , who believed with every ounce of our beings that this campaign would crush their long-standing competitor , Visa . In other words , we had tapped their `` hidden agenda . ''

The hidden agenda is the unspoken , visceral , emotional motivation that is behind every decision . Whether deciding who wins the billion dollar deal ... or the job , the hidden agenda is always at work . Your mission is to connect to it , and here 's how :

Do your hidden-agenda homework

It 's not enough to know factoids about the company . That 's table stakes . Do your homework about the emotional state of the company . Are they on a high , yet searching for the next big thing ? Are they in crisis and in need of a turnaround ? Are they guided by a value system that drives the decisions they make ?

It turns out that every decision stems from a hidden agenda , which can be found in three forms :

â $ cents Wants are about people viewing their circumstances through the lens of ambition and confidence .

â $ cents Needs are about viewing circumstances through the lens of fear or concern .

â $ cents Values are about people viewing the world entirely through the lens of their belief systems .

In addition to understanding the company 's hidden agenda , study the person who will be interviewing you to determine their hidden agenda .

Connect with your real ambition

I had breakfast a few weeks ago with a very compelling young man . This electrifying fellow was exuberant , quirky bordering on eccentric , and without pretense . He spoke of what he hoped to create in his life , and I hired him on the spot .

Your real ambition is a deep desire to create something special that does n't yet exist . It 's bigger than mere ambition because it 's noble . When the person you are trying to reach is touched by your real ambition and makes common cause , they 'll hire you .

Try this : Think about what you want to accomplish , but precede with the words `` I will ... '' Make sure it is seemingly impossible , devoid of practicality and utterly fantastic . You can create a shared bond with your interviewer , because they see you both share a common vision .

See also : Is happiness the secret of success ?

Bond with your credo

A company is many things , but it is a community first . Each community has a set of values that bind them ; I call it a credo , Latin for `` I believe . '' Dig deeply and look behind the facts and figures . What does the company you 're applying to believe ? If you want to be part of it , know it and connect yourself to it .

Try this : Take out a sheet of paper , and write `` I believe that ... '' What words would you select ? What values would you express that would make you proud for others to see ? Connections are made because of the beliefs you share . You 'll be hired , because your interviewer will see that your credo syncs perfectly with theirs .

Ignite with your core

Your core is what makes you stand out from the pack . While many people have similar traits , your core is comprised of a set of skills , abilities , and strengths that , together , are completely unique to you . And as was the case with MasterCard , your core will be seen as something the company needs -- the `` answer to their prayers '' and a means by which you can help them .

See also : Is workplace boredom ` the new stress ? '

Critical to your core is authenticity . As a wonderful mentor once told me when I was presenting what I thought was a perfect version of myself and thinking that the real me was no road to glory : the person you are is the person they want to see . They are hiring you , not a manufactured version of something or someone else .

Try this : Ask five people who know you well and support you to write down the key characteristics they associate with you . Not only will you be staggered by what you 'll get , but you will also feel proud and affirmed . You mobilize people to hire you , because their vital needs are satisfied by the authenticity and sincerity of your core .

Your pursuit for the promotion or job of your dreams is not a fact and figures game -- it is a human game . When you make a profound connection with the emotional desire of your boss or interviewer , the facts and figures will take the backseat , every time .

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kevin Allen .

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Every company has an emotional motivation , or hidden agenda , says Kevin Allen

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He believes tapping into the hidden agenda is key to getting your dream job

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Share your ` real ambition ' to connect with potential employers

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When applying for a job , show that you connect with the company 's core beliefs